


5 Days of Poetry

by Sly_Helador



Series: Sly's writing class [5]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-25 15:13:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22194346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sly_Helador/pseuds/Sly_Helador
Summary: 5 poems not related to each other that draw inspiration from different poems.
Series: Sly's writing class [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1469705
Kudos: 1





	1. Poem 1: Abandoned Car

**Author's Note:**

> This one is based on Abandoned Farmhouse By Ted Kooser

He was a traveler, says the mileage on his car and

old, worn tires;

a lover of nature, says the postcards buried in the

glovebox and peeking out from under the seats;

and a clean man, says the state of the floor: tidy, and

the view from the windows: spotless;

yet a lonely man, says the only crease in the seat

hiding behind the steering wheel.

A woman used to join him, says the splatters

of nail polish on the dashboard, and the flower

scented air-freshener that ran out long ago,

she saw a few sights, says the colored pencil

drawings left in a folder in the trunk, left to

hide away from any peeking daylight,

she was skilled at this, says the landscapes flowing

out of the page.

They look nothing like this city.

Something went wrong, says the lack

of bags with necessities. Broken pencils lay

like corpses in the trunk, marking up the sides in a

gruesome rainbow. Keys sit in the cup holders

untouched, covered with a layer of dust—not unlike

the rest of the car. And nestled among the postcards is

a small calendar with future plans, plans made for

years past yet never complete. Something went wrong, they say. 


	2. Poem 2: genetics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the poem 'genetics' by Jacqueline Woodson

My mother has untamable

curly hair. So does mamaw M.

Each child in this family has the same

unruly brown hair. 

Our baby sister, Tori, was born with vitiligo.

Darker toned and chubbier than normal

for us.

People stare and must think _adopted, perhaps._

When I say, _My sister,_ the people’s

eyes trace

our faces and

believe once they see

our hair.


	3. Poem 3: Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the poem 'Here' by Joshua Mehigan

Nothing has changed. They have the same roads

with potholes and cracks running along, houses that

look the same, playgrounds where kids

run and jump and laugh.

It is the same no matter where you go,

and people that have no big surprises.

Each summer end the children start up school.

Sandals, boots, tennis shoes, flip flops,

sandals.

This is all right. This is their life. And yet,

though the faces shift throughout the years,

and routines kept the same,

it does feel changed from before.

Is it the houses? Yards? Weather?

Is it the schools? Is it all of them?

Nothing here ever changes, till it does.


	4. Poem 4: The Seasonal Moods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the poem 'The Last Laugh' by Wilfred Owen

‘Hurry! Grab an umbrella,’ he said, and ran.

Whether he cried for help or demanded,

The rain fell—in splatters, splatters, splatters

Puddles filled— Whoosh! Whoosh!

And the thunder cracked a laugh.

Another sighed, ‘snow—snow today.’

Then smiled at the snowmen grinning cold.

And the icicle hanging

From the orange nose drops dead.

And the arms fray, and splinter.

‘This wind!’ one sniffled. Sickness drips from his

flushed red face.

And the wind caresses;

Leaves sticking to his hair;

And the windows shutter coughs.


	5. Poem 5: Peligro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the poem 'Peligro' by Stuart Dybek.

Fish swam unknowing

from the oil.

In the aftermath,

shades swim instead

then die lonely.

Scars appeared,

following the deaths

of all life.

Black sludge

floats endlessly,

but there was

nowhere to dump

the trash made

by humans and their needs.


End file.
